NFL Picks Week 1: 4 Things To Expect from Eagles-Rams

The Philadelphia Eagles sure had a noisy offseason. They created the holy trinity of cornerbacks in Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. They brought in a Super Bowl champion in Cullen Jenkins and a former 1000-yard running back in Ronnie Brown.

Michael Vick is back in town, as are the explosive trio of DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy. The Philadelphia Eagles enter the season as defending NFC East champs and are a Super Bowl favorite.

The St. Louis Rams enter year two of the Sam Bradford era. Bradford impressed with 18 touchdowns, completing 60 percent of his passes, and helped the Rams add six games to their 2009 win total.

For the Eagles, this is the beginning of the Super Bowl ride. For the Rams, it is validation that 2010 was just a sign of things to come. Here are four things to expect from the Week 1 matchup.

Sam Bradford Will Test the Dream Team Defense

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Sam Bradford entered the league as the top overall pick. No one doubted his talent, but that pesky shoulder injury raised some eyebrows.

Bradford quickly silenced the doubters, as it was evident the pinpoint accuracy that made him a star at Oklahoma would be on display at the next level. Bradford went on to start all 16 games for the St. Louis Rams.

That accuracy, along with his quick release, will prove to be pesky for the vaunted Eagles trio of Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The 2010 St. Louis Rams receiving corps consisted of late draft picks and undrafted free agents that earn their paychecks as concise route runners. Brandon Gibson, Danny Amendola and Danario Alexander are back, and Mike Sims-Walker adds a different flavor to the bunch.

Do not expect a huge statistical day from Bradford, but expect to see some clutch third-down throws, as well as some great defense be beaten by better passes.

The Rams Will Pound the Rock

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St. Louis did not bring in veteran Cadillac Williams to have him ride the bench. Steven Jackson is entering his eighth NFL season, and continuing to give him the ball 300 times a year will soon make him an old 30.

With Williams, the team has two talented power runners. The Rams will hope a reduced role as a complementary piece can help Williams flash some of the magic that made him a 1,200-yard back as a rookie.

St. Louis will try to exploit the perceived weakness of the stacked Eagles D: the linebackers. Expect a minimum of 30 touches between the two backs.

St. Louis Will Pull Off the Upset, 21-17

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Relax, Philadelphia Eagles fans, this is not to say I don’t believe in your team. The Iggles are one of three favorites to come out of the NFC: You have to like Green Bay, and Atlanta or New Orleans will emerge as a threat from the South.

However, I see St. Louis as the type of team that can give the Eagles trouble. Teams that can produce a powerful running game to complement an accurate quarterback with a quick release will challenge the Eagles star-studded defense.

However, it will also take a defensive unit that can stop Michael Vick from going wild. St. Louis is far from dominant on D, but the feared duo of defensive ends Chris Long and James Hall (19 sacks, nine forced fumbles combined) can provide pressure on Vick without sacrificing an extra defender to blitz.

Thus, the Rams can keep “contain” on the explosive quarterback.

The favorable strategic matchups are one reason I like the Rams in this one. The other: The Eagles have a lot of new faces, plus DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin barely played or practiced in the preseason.

The Eagles will have no fewer than seven players who are either new to the team or missed huge parts of training camp.

Conversely, the St. Louis Rams were undefeated in the preseason (yes, so were the Lions in 2008, but this preseason should be given more credit than any other) and seem eager to prove that 2010’s 7-9 campaign was just the start for an up-and-coming team in the NFC West.

A lack of cohesiveness costs the Eagles a game here. The ESPN pundits will fire up the “panic meter,” and Eagles talk radio will be dominated by ‘fire Andy Reid’ tirades. Then the team will settle right in and win the division.

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